Reinforced lightweight wrench handle



June 15, 1954 c. H. INGwER REINFORCED LIGHTWEIGHT WRENCH HANDLE Filed Dec. l0, 1949 INVENTOR. CARL H. /VGWEH Patented `lune 15, 1954 UNITED STATES REINFORCED LIGHTWEIGHT WRENCH HANDLE Carl H. Ingwer, Elyria, Ridge Tool Comp Ohio, assignor to The any, Elyria, Ohio Application December 10, 1949, Serial N o. 132,362

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to hand tools, and more particularly to a wrench having an adjustable jaw such as a monkey wrench or a pipe wrench.

In the past, wrenches including those having adjustable jaws have been made from a ferrous metal, either by a forging or casting process. Use of the heavy ferrous metal was necessary in order to obtain the required strength, since the light Weight metal, such as aluminum or magnesium, did not have the requisite tensile strength. However, the handles of these Wrenches and certain other parts were highly stressed for only a portion of their extent, with other parts being less highly stressed. For instance, the portion of the handle of a wrench actually grasped by the hand, and the part from the grip to the end of the handle, is subject to much less stress than is the part between the grip and the jaws of the Wrench.

Therefore it is not necessary to use a high strength material there.

Some Wrenches have taken advantage of this condition by using wooden blocks on either side of a iiat extension of the handle. Others have used leather washers threaded over an extension and formed to the proper shape. Each of these devices pertained to the handle alone, however, and each was aimed primarily at the comfort of the users hand while gripping the wrench, and only secondarily at lightening the weight of the wrench.

It is the purpose of my invention not only to ease the grip somewhat, but also to provide a v light weight tool easy to carry and easy to handle.

This is accomplished by providing reinforcement strips of a strong material about which the tool part may be cast :from a light weight, non-ferrous material, to form the handle and/or other parts.

A more complete understanding of my invention will be gained from the following description and figures which form av part of this specication.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view along line I-I of Fig. 2 and shows the core of a wrench built according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 of an alternative cross section used by my invention;

Fig. 3a is a fragmentary elevation oi the upper end of the insert shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3b is a section taken on the line sli-3b of Fig. 3a;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a second alternative cross section;

Fig. 4a is a view similar to Fig. 3a of the insert Fig. 4.

Fig. 4b is a section taken on the linellb-lb of Fig. 4.;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing still another alternative cross section;

Fig. 5a is a view similar to Fig. 3a of the modified insert shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 5b is a section taken on the line 5b-b of Fig. 5.

Brielly, my invention comprises a wrench handle formed from a light Weight metal or alloy preferably by casting. The required strength of the handle is provided by a steel core or backbone which reinforces the light metal, while at the same time the light metal supports the steel core to prevent buckling.

More specifically, and with reference to the iigures, my invention comprises a wrench handle I l, shown in the figures as the handle of a pipe wrench but equally applicable to many other types of tool, such as monkey wrenches, adjustable end wrenches or the like.

A core l2 is i'irrnly embedded in the case material of the handle II. This core is preferably formed of steel and may be either a iiat plate (Fig. 2), or it may take any of the shapes shown in Figs. 3 5, as a cross section. II, however, it is formed from a at sheet, I prefer that a plurality of holes I3 be provided to hold the core or insert rmly in place. These holes should not be so numerous as seriously to weaken the core i2 and are preferably located near the ends where stresses are not too severe. When the metal is cast about the core, these holes are lled with that metal, and, therefore, it is impossible for the light metal to shift longitudinally of the core. Similar holes may be provided in the other embodiments, although they are less necessary because of the greater surface of steel exposed to the light metal, and therefore greater friction area and consequent decreased likelihood of slipping. In addition, small points, or pins, I5, may be provided in forming the core as in the case of the hat core, or by drilling through the web I o1' flanges I'I of the other sections and driving small pins therethrough. These pins serve to support the core in the mold, and after pouring, the ends are cut off and the surface is smoothed. The points I5, therefore, provide additional means for holding the core in place in the handle. An additional guard against slippage of the case metal on the core or insert I2 is provided by notches I8 formed in the core and which are filled with the case metal when the handle is cast.

A heel jaw I9 and a hook jaw 20 are provided as is customary, although I have shown and prefer to use a heel jaw such as described in the copending application of Oscar E. Swanson, Ser. No. 97,980, led June 9, 1949, now abandoned.

As is customary, the hook jaw extends through a boss 2| and is threadably engaged by an adjusting nut. 22. The boss 2.! is formed of the light metal, but provision is made to absorb a considerable part of the force on the hook jaw, in the core l2. This is accomplished by forming an extension 23 on the core which extends from the core to the under surface 24 of the boss 2l. At this point, it is at the surface and is adapted to be engaged by the nut 22. so formed in this region that the nut bearsv most heavily on the extension 23, and therefore a great deal of the force on the hook jaw 20 is absorbed in the core.

This extension 23 may be formed diierently on the different cores dependent on the cross sectional shape. In the fiat piece (Fig. 1) the ex,- tenson is merely formed in the piece as it' is cut. In the U-shaped core a tongue may be struck outwardly from the web I6 of the piece and be bent at right angles thereto to form. the extension. Similarly, tongues could be struck from Ythe ianges 39 of the T- and 3l of the I-shaped sections (Figs. 4 and 5) to form bifurcated extensions which would serve the same purpose.

Thus, it is apparent that I have4 provided a Wrench suiciently strong. for most use while, at the same time, being considerably lighter and easier to handle. And this may be accomplished by any of several embodiments of my invention. Nor is my invention coni-ined to pipe wrenches, but it may be used in many hand tools, although it is especially well suited to adjustable wrenches and the like.

Having thus described my invention, I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made therefor Without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A wrench comprising a metal handle and having a boss extending laterally from the handle and formed with. an aperture extending longitudinally therethrough, a hook jaw having a threaded shank extending through the aperture, an adjusting nut for said hook jaw disposed on said shank and having a pressure face confronting a fulcrum surface of the boss, metal reinforcing means for said handle composed of 'a material having greater strength than the other metal and disposed substantially throughout most of the length of the handle and adjacent said boss. and being formed with a nut engagingprojection, said The surface.. 2li.l is` projection forming a portion of said fulcrum surface of the boss.

2. A wrench as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reinforcing means is T-shaped in cross section throughout most of its length.

3. A wrench as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reinforcing means is l-shaped, in cross section throughout most'of itsv length.

4. A wrench as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wrench is U-shaped in cross section.

5. A Wrench as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reinforcing means. is a flat metal strip substantially enclosed within the handle portion.

6. Ina,wrenchvhaving an adjustable jaw and Y nutmeans for adjusting said jaw, a handle for said wrench composed of a light weight material toy shapesaidhandle and a reinforcing core of strongmaterial, said core extending interiorly of said handle throughout` most of its length, but having a lateralextension passing through aportion of. the handle and outwardly therefrom and constitutingY a high pressure bearing surface for said nut.

7. A handle for a Wrench, said wrench having an adjustable jaw and an adjusting nut threadably disposed thereon for adjustment, said Wrench also comprising a. heel portion, a handle portion extending from said heel portion and terminating in a grip portion, a boss formed on said handle and extending laterally from said heel portion, said boss having a longitudinal opening therethrough to` receive said adjustable jaw and having a ulcrum. surface confronting a pressure face of said. nut, said handle being formed of a light weight material having a core of high strength extending throughout most of its length, said core having a projection extend'- inginto said boss and the projection having a portion of its surface exposed for contact by the pressure face of said nut;

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED. STATES' PATENTS Number Name Date 262,263 Walworth Aug. 8, 1882 689,692 Searley Dec. 24, 1901 1,395,222 Coes Oct. 25, 1921 1,442,548 Whitfield Jan. 16, 1923 1,727,623 Thewes Sept. 10, 1929 1,778,748 Bayrer Oct., 21, 1930 1,896,127 Thewes Feb. 7, 1933 2,293,866 Talch Aug. 25, 1942 OTHER REFERENCES Publication, Modern Plastics, vol. 17, page 52, June 1940. 

